DGP Alok Kumar Makes Surprise Visit to Mysuru Central Prison

Director General of Police (Prisons and Correctional Services) Alok Kumar carried out a surprise inspection of Mysuru Central Prison on Friday, reviewing the facility and its barracks before speaking to reporters.

Mr. Kumar said no mobile phones were recovered during the inspection, though he acknowledged that mobile signals were reachable in certain sections of the prison grounds. While jammers are already in place, he indicated that more may need to be installed, with care taken not to disrupt residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Explaining why he chose to arrive unannounced, Mr. Kumar said prior information about a visit would allow officials to correct deficiencies beforehand. He added that he had spotted specific loopholes in the prison and had directed the staff to fix them.

On the question of phones and contraband inside the prison, he said firm action would follow against inmates who use mobile phones as well as officials who enable such use. "We will act against the use of mobile phones or contraband in the prison premises," he said.

The DGP also met inmates during the visit. He said they were keen to speak with him and were allowed to do so, an interaction he described as a way to gather first-hand information. At the same time, he said inmate complaints cannot be accepted at face value and require inquiry to establish their accuracy, with officials tasked to look into them and act where needed.

Turning to the seizure of a mobile phone from former MP Prajwal Revanna's cell at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, Mr. Kumar said the matter is under police investigation and declined to comment on what was or was not found. He said the Prisons Department is pursuing measures to curb mobile phone use in jails, noting that roughly 300 phones had been seized from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison over the past eight to nine months.

He did not claim the prison had been fully cleared of phones, but expressed confidence that officials would track down any that remain, even if only four or five are still inside. Describing the checks as an ongoing process, he noted that about 50 new inmates enter the Mysuru prison daily, while around 200 arrive at the Bengaluru facility each day. Inmates sometimes conceal SIM cards in their mouths, swallow them, or hide them within their bodies, he said, adding that efforts to block phones from entering prisons continue despite these challenges.